How to clean a dog’s anal glands and how often should they be squeezed?

How to clean the dog’s anal glands

1. First catch the dog. It is best to have two people control the dog to prevent struggling.
2. Wear gloves, hold the base of the dog's tail, expose the anus, and cover the dog's anus with a tissue. Since dog anal gland fluid often spurts out when squeezed, be careful to cover it.
3. Use your right thumb and index finger to pinch the dog’s anal glands, push them toward the anus, and squeeze upwards. Be careful not to use excessive force.
4. If there is fluid accumulation in the dog's anal glands, it will spurt out after squeezing. Squeeze it several times until there is no more fluid. For dogs with inflamed anal glands, black or dark brown paste may be squeezed out. If you find this situation, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible.

Where are the dog’s anal glands

The anal glands are a pair of pear-shaped glands located below the dog’s anus at four o’clock and eight o’clock (analog clock the position of the pointer), and each of the two anal glands has an opening. Because the anal gland sacs are inside the dog's body, they are not visible from the outside.

How often should a dog’s anal glands be squeezed

Under normal circumstances, dogs will release anal gland fluid during defecation to lubricate the anus and help defecation. If anal gland fluid has accumulated for a long time, necessary cleaning is required to prevent it from becoming inflamed. Generally, it is enough to squeeze once every one to two months. For those who are prone to anal gland problems, it is best to squeeze once a month.

How are dog’s anal glands considered normal?

The secretion of anal glands in healthy dogs is liquid. If the secretion is pasty, or dark brown or black in color, it means Anal glands are inflamed. In this case, it is recommended to go to a pet hospital for treatment and anti-inflammation by a professional doctor, and do not use medicine to treat the dog casually. If it is daily care, you can also go to a reliable pet grooming shop or pet store to express the anal glands.